With a nursing shortage continuing in the United States, the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation, New York's largest organization focused on the health and well-being of vulnerable communities, announced today - Wednesday, May 14 - a $51 million investment to keep such shortages at bay as well as empower nursing professionals, reduce burnout and improve patient care in 13 New York hospitals serving high-needs populations.
Among those hospitals are four in our immediate area - St. John's Riverside in Yonkers and Calvary Hospital, Montefiore Medical Center and St. Barnabas Hospital, all in the Bronx.
Under the foundation's new "Nursing Initiative" grant program, each of the hospitals will receive $1 million to $5 million over five years to pursue American Nursing Magnet Recognition or Pathway to Excellence status, spurring high nursing standards and health-care transformation. In practical terms, the grants will expand virtual nursing and nurse residency programs, bolstering front-line nurses and nurse graduates as they transition to the profession.
The initiative will support more than 6,500 nurses and more than seven million outpatient visits statewide annually."From Binghamton to the Bronx, New York nurses are the backbone of patient care, demonstrating dedication and resilience," said Msgr. Gregory Mustaciuolo, the foundation's CEO. "Our Nursing Initiative is designed to provide the resources needed to ensure they can thrive and deliver the highest quality of care. By supporting nurses, we are investing in better patient care and outcomes."
"The Mother Cabrini Health Foundation's bold philanthropic investment will play a vital role in recruiting and retaining nurses, while fostering the supportive environments they need to thrive," said Angela Beddoe, CEO of American Nurses Enterprise. "We are proud to be a partner in this transformative effort to help New York hospitals pursue their accreditation journey. When nurses are empowered to lead and deliver care at the highest level, patients benefit - and entire communities are healthier for it."
Founded in 2019, the Cabrini Foundation was named for Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini, (1850-1917) an Italian immigrant to the United States, who established the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (MSC), serving the poor in 15 countries. The patron saint of immigrants, she was the first American to be canonized. Her life was the inspiration for a 2024 film and for the late Pope Francis, who said that her work in Argentina spurred him to become a priest.
The Cabrini Foundation grants come at a time when nursing in the United States is at a crossroads. While some studies say that it has recovered from its pandemic shortfall, others project a decreasing shortage but a shortage nonetheless. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Health Research and Services Administration (HRSA) project continued shortages of full-time equivalent, or FTE, RNs on the national level. They anticipate a 10% shortage in 2027, dropping to 8% by 2032 and 6% by 2037.
New York and Connecticut fare better than most states. New York has no shortage with a supply of 185,050 FTE RNs and a demand for 184,710 for an adequacy rate of 100%. Connecticut is even better off with an overage as there are 39,940 nurses with a demand for 37,060 and thus an adequacy rate of 108%.
However, by 2037, those numbers start to slip a percentage point for New York and two for Connecticut. They also don't account for the type and quality of nursing care and the idea that well-off areas have better access to care.
With its grants, the Cabrini Foundation is not only aiming to improve nursing but to stay ahead of any shortfall's slippery curve.